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Sustainable Tourism Marketing

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2019) | Viewed by 117208

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Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Business Management, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
Interests: digital marketing; destination management and marketing; sustainable tourism; tourism and ict; social marketing; sharing economy

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Guest Editor
Business Management Department, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
Interests: e- tourism, e-marketing, gastronomy, social media marketing, snow tourism, sustainable tourism marketing

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Guest Editor
Department of Business Management, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
Interests: e-marketing, e-tourism, peer-to-peer accommodation, social media marketing, sustainable tourism marketing, compositional data analysis

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Guest Editor
Department of Business Management, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
Interests: tourism; destination image; social media; online user-generated content; smart tourism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Business Management, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
Interests: e-tourism; e-marketing; social media; hospitality; sharing economy; peer-to-peer experiences platforms; peer-to-peer accommodation platforms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research on tourism marketing tends to place a greater focus on consumer behaviour and its impact on destinations, as well as on the use of tourism services or products, than on sustainability. However, this field has a long tradition of research into aspects related to promoting tourism products and services that respect the environment and local communities from the perspective of both supply and demand.

Sustainable tourism is a concept that demands more concreteness and action. It takes into account the economic, social, and environmental impact of satisfying the current needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations.

Consciousness-raising on the part of society, in general, and the tourist, in particular, about respectful consumption in regard to the environment is affecting the tourist industry. This situation is triggering changes in tourism activity programs that, in turn, imply changes in the ways in which both companies and tourist destinations are managed. Moreover, it has generated a marketing management committed to themes of sustainability and consumer behaviour, the marketing of sustainable products, product design and green brands, labelling, and advertising.

The objective of this Special Issue is to analyze the main contributions made as a result of research related to sustainable tourism-marketing management and current trends in this field. Therefore, the Issue aims to gather articles about the marketing of destinations and the marketing management of companies and tourism organizations (i.e., destination-management organizations, hotel companies, catering companies, transport companies, travel agencies, etc.) from a sustainable tourism perspective. To achieve this goal, this Special Issue calls for studies that analyze the marketing strategies adopted by tourism companies and institutions or tourist destinations in order to manage visitors in a sustainable manner, to promote destinations in marginal areas, and to promote territorial balance, or to analyze the effect of tourism on the consumption of local products and the economic development of host communities.

Special attention will be given to contributions that provide good practices for managing territories and/or companies that adopt sustainable marketing strategies without neglecting the integration and use of information and communication technologies in sustainable tourism-marketing strategies.

We will welcome research articles; case studies; and theoretical, methodological, and applied papers that analyze sustainable tourism marketing at the destination level as well as at the company level and tourist behavior from an interdisciplinary point of view.

We consider that this Special Issue can contribute to better management and dissemination of sustainable tourism, thus helping destinations and the tourism industry to commercialize products or services that respect the environment.

Prof. Dr. Eduard Cristobal-Fransi
Prof. Dr. Natalia Daries Ramón
Dr. Berta Ferrer-Rosell
Dr. Estela Marine-Roig
Prof. Dr. Eva Martin-Fuentes
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Sustainability and marketing strategies of the tourism industry
  • Sustainable tourist behavior and social practices
  • Touristic marketing interventions for sustainability
  • Sustainable destination marketing and management
  • Sustainable tourism and sustainable-tourism products
  • Critical perspectives on touristic marketing and sustainability
  • Digital marketing strategies for sustainable tourism
  • Upstream social touristic marketing and sustainability
  • Current trends in marketing and tourism

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 177 KiB  
Editorial
Sustainable Tourism Marketing
by Eduard Cristobal-Fransi, Natalia Daries, Berta Ferrer-Rosell, Estela Marine-Roig and Eva Martin-Fuentes
Sustainability 2020, 12(5), 1865; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051865 - 2 Mar 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5821
Abstract
In this article, we introduce the themes and approaches covered in this special issue on Sustainable Tourism Marketing. Its objective has been to analyze the main contributions made as a result of research related to sustainable tourism-marketing management and current trends in this [...] Read more.
In this article, we introduce the themes and approaches covered in this special issue on Sustainable Tourism Marketing. Its objective has been to analyze the main contributions made as a result of research related to sustainable tourism-marketing management and current trends in this field. This issue has gathered articles about the marketing of destinations and the marketing and communication management of companies and tourism organizations from a sustainable tourism perspective. This editorial piece provides a useful introduction to the relationship between tourism and sustainable marketing management that can be used by researchers and practitioners to develop tourism marketing strategies from a sustainable perspective. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism Marketing)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

20 pages, 640 KiB  
Article
Visiting Intangible Cultural Heritage Tourism Sites: From Value Cognition to Attitude and Intention
by Qihang Qiu, Tianxiang Zheng, Zheng Xiang and Mu Zhang
Sustainability 2020, 12(1), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010132 - 23 Dec 2019
Cited by 61 | Viewed by 10566
Abstract
Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has recently become an important area of tourism development for many countries that are home to such cultural resources. Within this context, the value of an ICH site has often been used to guide tourism development and policy making. [...] Read more.
Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has recently become an important area of tourism development for many countries that are home to such cultural resources. Within this context, the value of an ICH site has often been used to guide tourism development and policy making. In addition, community residents’ attitude and perception of ICH contribute to tourism development. In this study, we used the traditional firing technology of Longquan celadon in Zhejiang Province, China, as a case study to understand the relationships between value recognition and attitude along with the intention to visit the heritage site. We surveyed 368 residents and conducted path analysis to test such relationships. Findings revealed significant positive correlations between residents’ cognition of ICH value, their attitudes and travel intentions. Among them, attitudes played a mediating role in the formation of value cognition to travel intention. These findings offer insights into ICH-related tourism development, particularly regarding tourism product design, marketing and post-development evaluation, as well as the conservation of ICH sites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism Marketing)
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19 pages, 1928 KiB  
Article
The Effectiveness of Marketing Communication and Importance of Its Evaluation in an Online Environment
by Anna Krizanova, George Lăzăroiu, Lubica Gajanova, Jana Kliestikova, Margareta Nadanyiova and Dominika Moravcikova
Sustainability 2019, 11(24), 7016; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11247016 - 9 Dec 2019
Cited by 156 | Viewed by 49497
Abstract
Online marketing communication covers a wide area and thus promotes an extensive reach of advertising to a broad audience. Hotels can achieve certain goals through online communication, mainly an increase of hotel awareness; an improvement of their image; and an increase in the [...] Read more.
Online marketing communication covers a wide area and thus promotes an extensive reach of advertising to a broad audience. Hotels can achieve certain goals through online communication, mainly an increase of hotel awareness; an improvement of their image; and an increase in the level of customer satisfaction and trust, or brand loyalty. Measurement of the effectiveness of communication tools in the online environment is still a challenge, whether in the academic world or in the business world, mainly due to the complexity of this process. The main objective of this paper is to propose a methodology for implementing an indicator suitable for the evaluation of the effectiveness of online communication activities in the Slovak hotel industry. It uses analysis of the current usage of online marketing communication activities from the perspective of hotel service providers. The methodology should be applicable to support decision-making and actively support the sustainable development of hotels. In order to achieve the objective of the paper, the authors conducted a marketing survey focused on online marketing communication by Slovakian hotels to determine their use and to map the current state or methods of evaluating their effectiveness. Results of the research suggest that hotels in Slovakia perceive evaluating marketing communications online as being important, regardless of the size, length of operation, budget, and class of the hotel. They prefer financial metrics because they are a de facto manifestation of the traditional approach towards investment evaluation. The results also showed that return on investment is the most common metric for evaluating the investments of online communication activities, and that respondents expressed the highest level of confidence in this metric as well. In line with the results, we have proposed return on investment (ROI) as the most appropriate metric applicable in evaluation of the effectiveness of online communication tools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism Marketing)
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15 pages, 267 KiB  
Article
Measurement of Satisfaction in Sustainable Tourism: A Cultural Heritage Site in Spain
by Nuria Huete-Alcocer, Víctor Raúl López-Ruiz and Adriana Grigorescu
Sustainability 2019, 11(23), 6774; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236774 - 29 Nov 2019
Cited by 40 | Viewed by 6336
Abstract
Sustainable tourism, in the cultural context, is a fundamental element for the economic development of some local communities. There are many factors that can influence the success of this type of tourism, but any action or strategy adopted should be closely related to [...] Read more.
Sustainable tourism, in the cultural context, is a fundamental element for the economic development of some local communities. There are many factors that can influence the success of this type of tourism, but any action or strategy adopted should be closely related to the satisfaction of the tourist. This research focuses on a heritage destination of an archaeological nature, and is aimed at analyzing the profile of the cultural tourist and his/her level of satisfaction after visiting the site. Information was collected using a closed questionnaire given to tourists. An ANOVA analysis has been used to determine the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and satisfaction, with significant results found in relation to gender and income level. This study has helped to highlight what underlies the differences in tourists’ post-visit satisfaction. These analyses have provided information that can be used in the planning of future sustainable tourism marketing strategies; thus, this study provides some recommendations on how to improve the provision of services and the management of these types of heritage elements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism Marketing)
17 pages, 1446 KiB  
Article
Flamenco Tourism from the Viewpoint of Its Protagonists: A Sustainable Vision Using Lean Startup Methodology
by Maria Genoveva Millán Vázquez de la Torre, Salud Millán Lara and Juan Manuel Arjona-Fuentes
Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 6047; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216047 - 31 Oct 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4232
Abstract
Flamenco is an art born in and inextricably associated with Andalusia in the south of Spain. The purity, the feelings it transmits, and the originality of its expression have made it known worldwide and it has been declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage by [...] Read more.
Flamenco is an art born in and inextricably associated with Andalusia in the south of Spain. The purity, the feelings it transmits, and the originality of its expression have made it known worldwide and it has been declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO. This declaration, combined with the Spain’s tourist boom in the last years, has transformed this exclusive art into an important tourist industry with all the entailing perils for its survival. By means of the Lean Canvas model, combined with a survey of a panel of flamenco experts (especially artists), this study analyzed the fundamental factors that are key to developing a tourism product that, while respectful of its essence, offers tourists a genuine and quality product. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism Marketing)
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14 pages, 1094 KiB  
Article
Perceived Inconveniences and Muslim Travelers’ Loyalty to Non-Muslim Destinations
by Heesup Han, Amr Al-Ansi and Hyeon-Cheol Kim
Sustainability 2019, 11(17), 4600; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11174600 - 24 Aug 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3634
Abstract
Muslim travelers’ growth is an emerging sector of the global tourism industry. Yet, little has been discovered about their behaviors and perceived inconveniences in a non-Muslim destination. The present research was an attempt to identify international Muslim travelers’ loyalty generation process for the [...] Read more.
Muslim travelers’ growth is an emerging sector of the global tourism industry. Yet, little has been discovered about their behaviors and perceived inconveniences in a non-Muslim destination. The present research was an attempt to identify international Muslim travelers’ loyalty generation process for the non-Muslim destination by considering the effect of inconveniences that they possibly perceive while traveling to the non-Muslim destination. An empirical approach comprising a field survey method was used to collect the Muslim travelers’ views in a non-Muslim destination (Korea). Our result revealed that halal-friendly image, emotional experiences, and desire played a significant role in building Muslim travelers’ loyalty. In addition, a moderator test result of Muslim travelers’ perceived inconveniences at the non-Muslim destination significantly weakened the effect of desire and halal-friendly image on loyalty. The comparative importance of emotional experiences at a destination was identified. Our findings help non-Muslim destination marketers to develop effective attraction and retention strategies for international Muslim travelers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism Marketing)
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16 pages, 1395 KiB  
Article
Exotic or Home? Tourists’ Perception of Guest Houses, Guest Houses Loyalty, and Destination Loyalty in Remote Tourist Destinations
by Tiantian (Tiana) Shi, Biao He and Jun (Justin) Li
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3835; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143835 - 13 Jul 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 6052
Abstract
Guest houses offer an environmentally sustainable way to travel. The guest house serves not only to accommodate but also attract tourists to experience local culture when they visit remote destinations. This study was designed to explore how tourists’ multiple perceptions of guest houses [...] Read more.
Guest houses offer an environmentally sustainable way to travel. The guest house serves not only to accommodate but also attract tourists to experience local culture when they visit remote destinations. This study was designed to explore how tourists’ multiple perceptions of guest houses in remote destinations affect their behavioral intention toward guest houses and destinations. Results demonstrated that both tourists’ perception of exotic local culture and sense of home had a significant positive effect on tourists’ loyalty to guest houses in remote destinations. In addition, tourists with high cultural distance staying in guest houses perceived a higher level of exotic local culture but lower level of sense of home compared with those with lower cultural distance. Managerial implications, limitations, and recommendations for future studies are also provided. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism Marketing)
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19 pages, 776 KiB  
Article
The Development of Loyalty to Earthen Defensive Heritage as a Key Factor in Sustainable Preventive Conservation
by M. Belén Prados-Peña, M. Lourdes Gutiérrez-Carrillo and Salvador Del Barrio-García
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3516; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133516 - 27 Jun 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3183
Abstract
One of the main risks to the preservation of Spanish defensive heritage is anthropic in origin and is associated with local society’s lack of cultural identification with these cultural assets. Consequently, there is a dearth of conservation strategies. In this paper, the current [...] Read more.
One of the main risks to the preservation of Spanish defensive heritage is anthropic in origin and is associated with local society’s lack of cultural identification with these cultural assets. Consequently, there is a dearth of conservation strategies. In this paper, the current situation is examined, then a management model is proposed, with the Torre de Romilla in the Granada province (Spain) as its focus. The model is constructed on the basis of research regarding the antecedents to loyalty towards this heritage landmark, in order to enhance its value. To accomplish this, survey data from 200 randomly selected subjects was collected and analysed. The results indicate that the antecedent factors which determine loyalty are place attachment and its perceived image, which lead to an increased probability that the site will be visited and recommended. The direct consequence of this is that contributions to the economy from tourism would allow for the sustainable conservation of these assets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism Marketing)
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27 pages, 2945 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Islamic Religiosity on the Perceived Socio-Cultural Impact of Sustainable Tourism Development in Pakistan: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
by Jaffar Aman, Jaffar Abbas, Shahid Mahmood, Mohammad Nurunnabi and Shaher Bano
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3039; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113039 - 29 May 2019
Cited by 91 | Viewed by 11074
Abstract
Typically, residents play a role in developing strategies and innovations in tourism. However, few studies have sought to understand the role of Islamic religiosity on the perceived socio-cultural impacts of sustainable tourism development in Pakistan. Previous studies focusing on socio-cultural impacts as perceived [...] Read more.
Typically, residents play a role in developing strategies and innovations in tourism. However, few studies have sought to understand the role of Islamic religiosity on the perceived socio-cultural impacts of sustainable tourism development in Pakistan. Previous studies focusing on socio-cultural impacts as perceived by local communities have applied various techniques to explain the relationships between selected variables. Circumstantially, the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique has gained little attention for measuring the religiosity factors affecting the perceived socio-cultural impacts of sustainable tourism. This investigation aims to address such limitations in this area of scientific knowledge by applying Smart PLS-SEM, developing an empirical approach, and implementing Smart-PLS software V-3.2.8. The proposed tourism model predicts the effects of the religiosity level on the perceived socio-cultural impacts of sustainable tourism development. In this study, we examine the relationships among religious commitments, religious practice, and religious belief and the socio-cultural effects of sustainable tourism. Our research identifies influential factors through an extensive literature review on communities’ religiosity and the socio-cultural impacts of developing sustainable tourism. We examine and analyze data based on 508 residents’ responses. The findings reveal an R² value of 0.841, suggesting three exogenous latent constructs, which collectively elucidate 84.10% of the variance in the perceived socio-cultural impact of sustainable tourism. The findings reveal that religious respondents with a higher religiosity level have a positive attitude towards developing sustainable tourism. These findings are helpful to understand the dynamics of communities’ perceptions, behaviors, quality of life, cultural aspects, and religiosity factors affecting sustainable tourism in Pakistan. This study is novel in the context of Pakistani cultural and social norms, and this study’s implications may provide further direction for researching and developing sustainable tourism in the northern regions of Pakistan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism Marketing)
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15 pages, 1958 KiB  
Article
Tourism Development, Environment and Policies: Differences between Domestic and International Tourists
by Jianjun Liu, Haili Pan and Shiyong Zheng
Sustainability 2019, 11(5), 1390; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11051390 - 6 Mar 2019
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 7108
Abstract
Using panel data from the 17 underdeveloped provinces of China for 2005–2015, the author explored the differential impact of air (environment) quality and government policies on domestic and international visitors. Through econometric model analysis, the authors corroborated that domestic and international visitors react [...] Read more.
Using panel data from the 17 underdeveloped provinces of China for 2005–2015, the author explored the differential impact of air (environment) quality and government policies on domestic and international visitors. Through econometric model analysis, the authors corroborated that domestic and international visitors react differently to air (environment) quality. In addition, domestic and international tourists have different responses to urbanization and transportation. Marketization is conducive to the development of tourism. Moreover, foreign trade has a positive impact on international tourists. These findings aid local governments to provide additional appropriate tourism development policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism Marketing)
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20 pages, 1420 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Disaster of a National Airline on the Nation’s Tourism: An Empirical Investigation
by Ting Fan, Bo Pu, Samart Powpaka and Liaogang Hao
Sustainability 2019, 11(5), 1233; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11051233 - 26 Feb 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 7050
Abstract
This study contributes to the area of tourism research by investigating the process by which the air disaster of a national airline affects tourists’ attitude and intention to fly the airline as well as attitude and intention to visit the country. A survey [...] Read more.
This study contributes to the area of tourism research by investigating the process by which the air disaster of a national airline affects tourists’ attitude and intention to fly the airline as well as attitude and intention to visit the country. A survey with potential Chinese tourists on visiting Malaysia and flying Malaysia Airlines was conducted. Results show that intention to visit Malaysia is positively affected by attitude toward visiting Malaysia and intention to fly Malaysia Airlines. Attitude toward visiting Malaysia is positively affected by attitude toward flying Malaysia Airlines and negatively by perceived risk of visiting Malaysia. Perceived risk of visiting Malaysia is, in turn, negatively affected by subjective knowledge about Malaysia and attitude toward flying Malaysia Airlines, and positively by perceived risk of flying Malaysia Airlines. Intention to fly Malaysia Airlines, on the other hand, is positively affected by attitude toward flying Malaysia Airlines. Attitude toward flying Malaysia Airlines is negatively affected by perceived risk of flying Malaysia Airlines, which is, in turn, positively affected by usefulness of (negative) public opinion. The theoretical contribution, managerial implications, limitations, and future research direction are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism Marketing)
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